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OPINION

We welcome Stampede Meat to south county

Sun-News Editorial Board
Published 7:04 p.m. MT July 17, 2018

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Governor Susana Martinez, center, is joined by Sunland Park and state officials and Stampede Meat executives at a groundbreaking at the old Tyson Foods plant Friday, June 13.(Photo11: Algernon D'Ammassa/Sun-News)Buy Photo

We welcome CEO Brock Furlong and Stampede Meat, which announced last week that it will be moving into the old Tyson Foods manufacturing site on McNutt Road in Sunland Park, and expects to hire 1,295 workers when the plant is at full capacity.

Stampede, which specializes in portion cuts and fully cooked beef, chicken, turkey and pork for restaurants and the food services industry, would seem to be a perfect fit for that building. Before for closing it in 2015, Tyson had used the facility to produce dinner meats, diced ham and roast beef. About 230 people lost their jobs when the plant closed.

Stampede has committed to a $36 million investment, including money needed for renovation of the plant.

Gov. Susana Martinez said that up to $3 million in Local Economic Development Act funds had been made available to the company for investment in the business. LEDA is a state program that assists local communities in attracting new businesses. Similar to a closing fund, it provides start-up funding, which is often tied to minimal requirements for hiring and investment.

"The sun is truly coming out and shining on Sunland Park and its future," said Davin Lopez, president of the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance. "This is the happiest day of the decade for me."

Stampede Foods is expanding its operations to keep up with growing demand, Furlong said. Produces made in New Mexico will be distributed across the United States, as well as to Canada and South America.

According to its website, the company now has four facilities in the Chicago area with a combined size of about 285,000 square feet, and a production capacity of 190 million pounds a year. The Sunland park plant will add another 123,000 square feet to increase production. Furlong said their goal is to double the current capacity and make Stampede a billion-dollar company.

Once at full capacity, which is expected to take up to five years, the New Mexico facility is expected to support $300 million to $400 million in new revenue.

We don’t know yet exactly what jobs will be available or how much they will pay, but hope to find out more about that during a job fair in September.

But we do know, based on their posting for their existing plants, that the company values longevity and has a strong focus on safety. More than 70 percent of its employees have been with the company for longer than five years, they said.

“Our people are craftsmen of the highest skill and ability,” the state. “We train each Stampede employee to be recognized as a Certified Butcher, ensuring we provide the highest level of expertise in every portioned protein product we produce in our plants.”

The company selected the Sunland Park site over competing bids from Idaho, Texas and Oklahoma, Furlong said. The new plant has the potential to make a significant difference for the economies of Sunland Park and the surrounding region.

We commend all of those who played a role in recruiting Stampede Meat to New Mexico and wish the company and long and successful stay here.